Commercial Finance Business Partner

Role Overview

This position sits at the heart of commercial decision-making for Cultural Engagement (CE), shaping how contract opportunities are priced, appraised and approved before they reach delivery. Day to day, the post holder works alongside business development, operational and finance colleagues to build pricing models, stress-test new bids and give senior stakeholders an independent view of where the money, the margin and the risk actually sit. The work matters because it protects the unit's surplus and value-for-money commitments while keeping an international contract portfolio genuinely sustainable.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with bid and business development teams across the full contract lifecycle, from pipeline review and risk assessment through pricing, approval and post-award reporting, offering both support and constructive challenge.
• Own the ongoing development and governance of CE's pricing and costing model and its supporting commercial tools, embedding consistent global practice for overhead calculation, allocation and recovery.
• Lead financial appraisal of new opportunities, quantifying benefits, investment and expected returns, and confirming that each proposition fits the proposed delivery model and funder requirements.
• Provide independent commercial challenge and formal recommendations to the global contracts Tripartite Approval Board (TAB) on whether individual opportunities should proceed.
• Work with tax and treasury specialists so that their advice is properly reflected in bid pricing and commercial terms, and escalate material financial risks with workable mitigation options.
• Build compelling financial narratives, value-for-money approaches and enhanced reporting that strengthen tenders and give funders confidence in what is being offered.
• Contribute commercial modelling and analysis to strategic planning, assessing donor landscapes, contract types and service models to inform sustainable growth decisions.
• Supply accurate management information and insight for decision-making and reporting, championing efficiency, performance improvement and value creation, and deputising for the Head of Commercial Finance as required.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Qualified accountant with a proven record of successfully delivering in a comparable commercial finance role.
• A minimum of five years in business partnering, including at least three recent years supporting business development teams.
• Practical experience of commercial finance activity within bid pursuit and tendering environments.
• Strong financial modelling and analytical capability, with advanced Excel skills and solid working knowledge of cost and pricing tools.
• Awareness of the tax and treasury implications that arise from contract and partnership work in an international context.
• Experience of operating in international, multi-cultural organisations and of building effective relationships with senior leaders, funders, partners and suppliers.
• Desirable: tendering experience with FCDO, the EU or other major international funders; knowledge of sector best practice in value-for-money and transparency reporting; public sector or central government background; contract management knowledge; familiarity with accounting and planning applications; and an understanding of best practice in upper-quartile finance functions.

Why Join

This is a highly visible role within the CE Strategic Business Unit, with a direct line into commercial decision-making at the most senior level through the Tripartite Approval Board. The post holder will shape how the organisation prices and appraises contracts globally, influence how commercial capability is built across teams, and act with the authority to deputise for the Head of Commercial Finance when needed.